Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not believe I made the Deputy aware of that previously, but I am sure he welcomes it.

Deputy Paul Murphy asked if there was a two-step process regarding the amendment. The answer is "No". I have read into the record of the House exactly what is happening here, as has the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey. This is simply an amendment to allow for this payment to the Exchequer. There is no seeing around corners. There is no second step. This is simply as it is stated. There can be a level of paranoia around certain things, but there is no need for it on this occasion. The amendment is to give legal force to a budgetary position set out in the Estimates. From a transparency point of view it must be remembered that the accounts of the local government fund are published annually and are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. So this is fully transparent.

The Deputies opposite have questioned on numerous occasions the issue of LPT. The LPT fund that is being put together is paid straight out to local authorities. That has been repeated ad nauseamin here and the figures have been produced as well. So there is no hole in the local government fund. The amendment is simply as stated, to make a payment to the Exchequer. It has already been flagged on numerous occasions. There is no possibility of any second step, which Deputy Paul Murphy suggested. This is exactly as stated. I propose that the amendment be accepted.

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